Rug storing and display rack



A. M. CASE.

RUG STORING AND DISPLAY RACK.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2, 1920.

'1 94,469. Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

WITNESS: INVENTOR.

W W7 What/W playing UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AROIZD K. CASE, OF BRIDGE-TON, INDIANA.

' two 'sroitme AND DISPLAY nacx.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed September 2, 1920. 'Serial No. 407,677.

To all whom it may concern Improvement in a Rug Storing and Display Rack, of which the following is a full-specification. a

My invention relates to improvements in a rack used forstoring, protecting and dislarge rugs, tapestries and other similar objects {and the objects of the invention are: first, to provide a rack which will store a large number of rugs or other like objects 7 and retain the same in a compact and spacesaving manner; second, to provide such a device which will -protect the rugs from dust and other, injurious matter while so stored; third, to provide such a device whereby the various rugs or other objects stored therein can be easily and quickly displayed without removal from the rack, with-.

outloss of time and without'any heavy: lifting and whereby the rugs may be as easily and quickly storedaway; fourth, to provide suchla device whereby several rugs 'or other similar objects may be displayedrat the same time and without their coming into contact with dust or other injurious matter upon.

the floor; and fifth, to provi-de such a device which will be easily and conveniently operated, ofmaximum durability and of inexpensive structure. ,These objects I attain by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l, is a perspective view of therack. Fig; T2, is a detail of the flexible frame. Fi 3, is a detail of the switch. Fig. .4, is a detail of the shaft. and the tracks and frames mounted thereon.

{Similar letterspf reference refer to simi-' lar parts throughoutthe several views.

The letter A indicates a substantial framework,:which consists of alower platform, or floor, a, a pluralit of supporting posts I), and an upper platfi irm, or cover, 0.

A plurality of track-ways cl, are provided at the rear side of said lower and upper platforms on and e, which are formed by parallel strips 6, attachedto the upper sur face of the lower platform and to the under surface of; the upper platform, respectively;

andproperly posltioned thereon to place each track-way of the cover floor of the rack.

immediately over a corresponding track-way 'upon the The track-ways (Z extend as shown, from one'end of the rack to-a point near the other end thereof, where each track-way is curved toward the front edge of the platforms until it 'intersects a transverse track-way -f,'which extends across that end of. theplatformsa andc, respectively.

At the intersection of the track-way f with each of the curved ends of the trackways d, there is a movableswitchg, which is pivotally mounted upon said platforms at such points of intersection, and which will open the track-ways (l into the track-ways when open and close the same when closed.

The switches g are wedge-shaped and the outer edgerof each isstraightand adapted to form an integral "part ,of the wall of the track way 7 when closed, and the inner'side of said switches. is curved to conform with the curvature of the tracks d when opened,

and to provide a continuous track-way "from the track-ways d into the track way f, as shown in detail of Fig. 3.

The switches g are mounted upon pivots 5, attached to the respective platforms a and o,

and said pivots are provided with heads 70, 'which are adapted to retain said switches in proper position relative to the platforms to which theyiare attached.

- The letter B indicates a display-rack, which consists of a shaft i, mounted upon and revolving in a pair of bearing-blocks m, at either end, a track-way n constructed upon said shaft 2' and extending throughout the length thereof, a track-way n which is constructed upon saidshaft i and so spaced thereon, that lines bisectin said track-ways n and a" and the axis of t e shaft 2' will be at right angles to each other, in order that when one of said traok-ways-is standing perpendicular the other will recline horizontally, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The shaft 2 projects through the bearingblock stationed upon theoutside and bears a lever-like handle 0, whereby the shaft may be revolved. a

A rectangular frame, p is attached; to the forward side of the track-way n and projects upwardly therefrom when said trackwaystands upright, and a similar frame 79',

track-ways n and n, respectively.

The displayrack is positioned upon the floor, at right angles to the platform a and V with thetrack-ways a and it, when upright,

end-posts u,

in registering alinement with the correspondmg track-ways f of the platforms a and 0a The bolsters upon whichthe platform a rests and the bearing blocks m of the shaft 2', are relatively proportioned, to properly register the various track ways and thereby provide a continuous traclrway from the platforms to the display rack.

A flexible framework C, consists of two two or more intermediate posts '0 and a pliable band of'flexible material 7 extending from and attached to each of said posts wand v and a similar'flexible band said flexible bands being attached to said posts near-the top and bottom thereof, respectively:

A'cylindrical roller 9" is mountednpon' the upperend of each intermediate post and is properly proportioned to fit within the upper track-ways, and similar rollers 1" are mounted upon the lowerends ofsaid-intermediate posts 7), adapted to roll in the lower track-ways, and a caster'tis mounted, piv

otally, upon the lower end 'ofeach end post I uand adapted to roll in and 'followthe various track-ways,-'when the flexible frame is moved. backward or'forward. As many fieXibleZ-framesC areprovided as there are track-ways d upon the platform a and each is adapted to receiveand support one or more rugs, or other similar objects, in a spread and-hanging manner. .The rugs may he'attached to said flexible frames by means of any suitable clamp or other fastening, [of

suflicient strength to support the rugs with out sagging, and such fastenings do not constitute' a material prt of my invention and are therefore not speciiieclq.

[To "utilize my invention, a stock of rijigs, tapestriesor other similar objects, is

' stretched, one each, "upon the flexible frames 0 which are housed when not compactly and out of the way, and the stock is protected 'fromdust 'by 'theupper platform or cover c; i play the stock of tlie'flexible frame holding the'rug desired Wheniit is desired to disgoods housedijnmy device,

is pulled forward in its track-way, passing the switch into the track-way 7 from which it is drawnout upon the track-ways of one of the display-rack frames 79' or p; then that frame may be lowered, thereby displaying the goods 'thereonjin' a lowered horizontal position, and incidentally bringing the other ays of'the display-rackfin al'inement I with the track-way flwhen another'fiex ible. frame may, bedrawn' out upon .ftlie"'cl spl ay-' when so disposed rack, in the 'same manner there are three rugs, or otlie'ryobj'ects," displayed at one time, twoupon the displayrack and the :fQIWEtIi Cl OHG suspendedlwithin g V use, within theifr'amework A, where they are stored the framework A, It is apparentthat by proper placing of the corresponding switches all of the flexible-frames may be alternately'dr'awnout and returned to any vacant tracleway within the framework A; thus any rug housed within the framework A,

mayrbe displayed, suspended and spread out 'fiat; without the or otherwise handling the same, and without the rugs ever coming into contact with the salesman lifting, folding dust or other injurious material upon the floor of the show-room. V

The advantages "claimed for my device over other similar devices used prior hereto, consist; first, in themeans provided for storing a" large number ofrugs,"or similar objects, within a small compact space; sec- 0nd, in the ease with which a stock of heavy goods'may be displayed without lifting, folding orsoiling the goods; third in the means provided whereby such large and cumcombination of a framework, comprising an upper and lower platform, suitablesupp'ort ing posts adapted to support the upper platform above the 1 lower, a multiplicity of track-ways :mofunted upon the lower platform and extending-along the rear -part of said platform, a series of curved extensions of said tracks, a series of switches, mounted one each, at the end of said curved extensionsof-said traok ways, a transverse trackwayexte'n'dinm from the rear .to the front edge of said p atfornr and ad "ptedto register with the curved track-ways, when the corresponding-switches are properly placed,

and a corresponding system of track-ways, and switches, isuspendedi from the upper platform, immediatelyover and inproper.

alinement with corresponding trac -ways upon the lower vplatformpwith adisplay rack. comprising a revolving" shaft movably mounted upon two end bearing-blocks and positioned at right-angles to said platforms,

two track-ways extending throughoutf tlie length of said shaft, said track-ways being disposed uponthe shaft atright-angles one to the other and atproper' elevation to 'regis-' ter with the outer 'en di'of the transverse track-way'upon the platforms, twolrectam gu'lar'fra'nries''moilnted upon the sides of saidshafttrack-ways, respectively, and each 1 bear ng an inverted track-way upon the per bar adapted to register with "the 'corre sponding traekway uponfth shaft? and a outer'end of said' handle attached to the p shaft,a multiplicity of flexible frames coindesire to secure by prising end and intermediate posts and flexible bands attached to and binding said posts together and suitable casters and rollers mounted upon said posts and adapted to guide said flexible frames along and within said track-Ways.

2. In a rug storing and display rack the combination of a framework comprising'a lower platform, an upper platform, an up per and lower track-way system attached to the upper and lower platforms, respectively, and comprising a multiplicity of parallel track-ways positioned along the rear side of said platforms, curved extensions of said parallel trackways adapted to lead into transverse track-Ways mounted across the end of said platforms and switches mounted at the various intersections of said parallel and transverse track-ways, said track-way systems being attached to the lower and upper platforms, respectively, with the upper track-ways positioned immediately above the corresponding lower track-ways, with a display-rack positioned at right-angles to gitudinally upon said shaft, one or more display-frames mounted upon and attached to said track-ways, track-ways attached to the upper bars of said display-frames and adapted to cooperate with the corresponding track-ways to which said display-frames are attached, respectively, means for revolving said shaft and themembers mounted thereon, a multiplicity of fiexibleframes adapt ed to move within and to and from the track-ways of said platforms and displayframes, respectively and suitable casters and rollers mounted upon the posts of said flexible-frames, adapted to guide and move said flexible-frames within said track-ways.

ABOLD M. CASE.

Witnesses SYDNEY B. DAVIS, JOHN MGMINN. 

